Western North Carolina enjoys elevations ranging from 1,500 feet in the valleys to 6,684 feet at Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.

The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, considered the nation’s most scenic highway, winds along the Blue Ridge Mountains, through Asheville and enters the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Overlooks, hiking trails and the headquarters of the Southern Highland Craft Guild make scenic drives along the Parkway popular for locals and tourists alike.

The area’s mountain location doesn’t mean that it isn’t accessible to many major cities. Charlotte, NC is an hour and a half away and Atlanta, GA is a little over four hours from Asheville.